Party switching for self or country?

In our local context, party switching is a generally rare but prevailing reality that seems to be rising in the recent past.

Party switching is any change in political party affiliation by a partisan public figure.

Political migration or crossovers by members from one party to the next, especially in a two-party system, is also significant.

Some say the transition can be very difficult at times while some even compare it to the emotional edges of a divorce.

The UNC has recently attracted Anil Juteram from the PNM and Bishop Jankie Raghunanan from the COP.

Juteram served as a temporary UNC senator, then he migrated to the PNM and is now “back home” in the arms of the UNC.

Raghunanan, as a sitting councillor, has chosen to give up his COP ticket and is now a UNC candidate for local elections 2016 as the incumbent.

Rushton Parray switched from the PNM to the UNC prior to the 2015 general election and is now the sitting MP for Mayaro.

This is a seat that saw the then rejected UNC incumbent, Winston “Gypsy” Peters, team up with the PNM candidate, Clarence Rambharat, but to no avail.

This situation is in no way confined to local politics. According to a CNN report, current Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton started off her political career as a Republican.

Bernie Sanders switched from being an independent senator representing Vermont to a Democrat so he could seek the party’s 2016 nomination for President.

According to a New York Times article, party switching leaves one party feeling betrayed, humiliated, jealous and rejected.

The party which is the “successful seducer” however feels jubilation, titillation, pride and power.

People switching from one political party to another may be self-seeking because they feel, after investing considerable time and effort into their party of choice, they end up being overlooked for opportunities or neglected altogether.

On the other hand, people genuinely looking for the opportunity to make their country a better place may leave one party to go elsewhere because they feel their party may have lost its way or another party better aligns with their political philosophy.

Is party switching really a signal that politicians or members of political parties are striving to live up to the mantra of not putting party before country? The ability for Juteram to walk away from a party in power and move to a party in opposition can be a significant demonstration of either self-seeking or, more honourably, putting country first, providing of course the intentions are noble and nationalistic.

Ronald Huggins St Joseph